RUSSIA NEWS & INFORMATION – Johnson’s Russia List contents & links :: JRL 2021-#107 :: Sunday, 23 May 2021

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Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2021-#107 :: Sunday, 23 May 2021
A project sponsored through the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. The contents do not necessarily represent the views of IERES or The George Washington University.
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1. TASS: Russia’s COVID-19 case tally surpasses 5 mln since start of pandemic – crisis center – tass.com/russia/1292775
2. Indian Punchline: M.K. Bhadrakumar, Biden-Putin summit is on
3. The National Interest: Mark Episkopos, Why the Reykjavik Meeting Was A Nightmare for Kyiv. As the Biden administration moves to strike a new balance between confrontation and cooperation with Moscow, some in Kyiv are reacting with frustration and alarm.
4. Russia Beyond: How can you reach the Kremlin by phone? – rbth.com/lifestyle/333810-how-reach-kremlin-call
5. Russia Beyond: What does Manizha’s performance at Eurovision 2021 actually mean? – rbth.com/arts/333813-what-does-mean-manizhas-performance
6. Wall Street Journal: Russia’s Navalny Fights to Stay in Public Eye in Putin Standoff. Imprisoned dissident’s supporters are looking for new ways to maintain his visibility and, they say, keep him alive.
7. Twitter: Michael McFaul, Can anyone remember the name of the Russian prime minister?
8. Government.ru: Mikhail Mishustin takes part in New Knowledge educational marathon – government.ru/en/news/42288/
9. TASS: NYT: Russia ‘steals a march on the US’ on military presence in Arctic – tass.com/world/1292763
10. New York Times: In the Russian Arctic, the First Stirrings of a Very Cold War. Though the Russian military has little in common with liberal Western politicians or environmental groups like Greenpeace, it is taking ice melt in the Far North seriously.
11. NPR: Biden Wants A ‘Stable, Predictable’ Relationship With Russia. That’s Complicated.
12. Financial Times: China’s top diplomat heads to Russia as ties reach ‘best level in history’. Beijing and Moscow sense an opportunity in the face of fading US influence and Covid fallout.
13. Meduza: Pivoting to the East. Maxim Trudolyubov on why Russia considers China its ally in а new cold war with the West — and why the feelings aren’t mutual.
14. rt.com: US state-run RFERL backtracks on dubious claim West was honest with Russia about NATO expansion on its borders after online outcry – rt.com/russia/524346-russia-nato-expansion-rferl/
15. Bloomberg: Arctic-Superpower Jostling Heats Up as Russia Takes on Key Role. Russia’s Sergei Lavrov claimed this week that “this is our land and our waters” as NATO allies boost military activity.
16. Asia Times: The way forward for India-Russia relations. While facing challenges from other quarters, Moscow and Delhi have good reason to continue their ‘time-tested ties’
17. Financial Times: Ukraine urges Congress to maintain sanctions on Nord Stream 2. Completion of pipeline would be ‘victory for Russia’ and a ‘personal loss’ for Biden, says Zelensky.
18. rt.com: More sanctions as US slaps penalties on 13 Russian ships & a RESCUE service over roles in preparing Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline – rt.com/russia/524492-sanctions-nord-stream-ships/
19. TASS: Putin ready to discuss Crimea with Zelensky in context of border cooperation – Kremlin – tass.com/politics/1292807
20. Paul Goble: Russians Evenly Split on Whether Attacking Ukraine would Help or Hurt Putin, Lev Gudkov Says
21. RFE/RL: After Seven Years Of Conflict, Ukraine’s Frontline City Is ‘Just Tired’ Of The Fighting.
22. rt.com: Ukrainian opposition leader facing treason charges denies he’s ‘pro-Russia’ – insisting he represents millions of ordinary voters – rt.com/russia/524445-medvedchuk-treason-charges-politically-motivated/
23. Washington Post editorial: Russia’s attack on U.S. media has become a test case

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